This is based on an original intellectual property created by BioWare, which means that it doesn't have to operate under the restrictions of a license. As a result, Dragon Age is going to be a dark fantasy, with subject matter that will get it an M rating on purpose. Dr. Greg Zeschuk, one of BioWare's co-founders and its general manager and president, told us that the company didn't want to do a PG-13 style of fantasy full of the familiar and tired fantasy clichés. It also means that BioWare has a universe of possible games.
As an old school Baldur's Gate fan, I'll get the key parts of what I saw, first. Dragon Age can be played two ways. For most of the demonstration, it had a Mass Effect or Knights of the Old Republic style of camera, where you watch from third-person as your character runs around the level. Conversations happen in Mass Effect style, with cinematic angles and cuts. However, the game features what is called a pause-and-play feature for combat, which lets you pause the game at any time and give orders to your squad. You can also pull the camera back to top-down point of view similar to that of Baldur's Gate. Zeschuk told us that you could play the game entirely from that angle, as well.
The game is set in a world where an elite society of warriors known as the Grey Wardens battle the Blight, an evil infestation that appears to be the side-effect of the presence of an arch demon. The level that was demonstrated had the player character accompany Duncan, a mentor and friend, to help him and his army battle the Blight. Duncan is young and eager for battle and glory. The conversation system looked similar to other BioWare games in that you have multiple options, so you can basically respond in friendly, neutral, or rude manner. BioWare showed off some of the possible actions that can change the story. For instance, in one town there's a prisoner in a cage. He explains he has a key to a magical chest that he will give you if you get him food. You can do so and he'll give you the key, or you can just knife him and take it from his body. Your decision will have consequences later.
BioWare also wanted to show off the combat system and the scalable battles. The recent trailer that has an army of monsters rushing toward a human army is basically taken from the game, and it's an in-engine cutscene. However, your goal is to not participate in that battle but to light a bonfire atop a tower to summon reinforcements. However, the gunlocks (the gremlin-like enemies) have taken the tower, so you must battle your way to the top.
At the base of the tower is a guard who warns you about the situation and you can recruit him to come along to help or have stay behind. You might use him as cannon fodder, and he's not a story NPC. The tower itself is swarming with enemies, and the demo runner had a four-man party with a female elf magic user for some extra firepower. (By the way, character creation will let you create a male or female character with the wide range of customization options.)
The combat system looks like a close-up Baldur's Gate style of combat, as you can pause the game at any time, give orders, and then unpause the game and watch the action unfold. What's important is using tactics. In this case, a shield bash to stun an opponent and then toggling assault, which orders up four rapid sword strikes. Magic effects the environment, so the heroes rushed into a trap with the floor covered in grease and the enemy lit it with fire. The elf magic user used a blizzard spell to extinguish the blaze. It's important to use teamwork and coordinate attacks, so you'll use pause-and-play quite a bit, just like in Baldur's Gate.
The end of the demo had the heroes storming the top of the tower, where a huge ogre awaited. This guy has special attacks of his own, like grabbing stone blocks and hurling them, charging them, grabbing them, and more. He's a tough foe, so you need to use different tactics and spells. But if you can kill him, you can finish him off with a cinematic kill move that involves leaping atop his falling body and jamming your two-handed sword into his skull.
That was a brief look at Dragon Age, but the good news is that since the game has been in development for so long, it's very far in development. There's still work that has to be done, but BioWare plans on shipping it for the PC early next year. Meanwhile, Zeschuk said that BioWare was developing the game on the PC, playing the game on the PC, and designing the game for the PC, though the company does plan on delivering Dragon Age to consoles sometime the road. Further details about the game itself will be released over the coming months.